August 06, 2008

Mario Batali's Asparagus wrapped in Pancetta with Citronette

This is my entry for this week's Weekend Herb Blogging round up. This blogging event was started by Kalyn from Kalyn's Kitchen. The round up is hosted this week by Divya from Dil Se - be sure to pop by to see what other bloggers have come up with.

I asked for Mario Batali's latest cookbook for my birthday. Paul happily came through - no doubt knowing that he would be the happy 'taster' of my creations.

From Batali, the superstar chef and author of Molto Italiano, comes the ultimate handbook on Italian grilling, which is destined to become an instant must-have cookbook for home grillers. I have foung it to be full of easy to use and simple recipes, taking the mystery out of making tasty, simple, deliciously smoky Italian food. In addition to the eighty recipes and the sixty full-color photographs, Italian Grill includes helpful information on different heat-source options, grilling techniques, and essential equipment. As in Molto Italiano, Batali’s distinctive voice provides a historical and cultural perspective as well.

Last week when we were cooking dinner for mom and Rose we decided to 'test drive' one of his antipasti recipes from the book. This simple yet very elegant dish is a classic room-temperature antipasto. His recipe calls for pancetta, instead of the more common prosciutto (although I used prosciutto because I was out of pancetta), comes alive after grilling and being drizzled with this zesty (no pun intended) citronette.

Trim each spear of asparagus. Lay the pancetta flat on a work surface. Tightly wrap each asparagus spear in a slice of pancetta (covering as much of the spear as possible but leaving the tip exposed) and refrigerate until chilled, about 60 minutes. The chilling will help the pancetta adhere to the asparagus.

Preheat a gas grill.

In a small bowl, stir the orange zest and juice with the mustard and olive oil; season with salt and pepper.

Grill the asparagus over moderate heat, turning often, until they are just tender and the pancetta is crisp, about 5 minutes total.

Whisk the citronette again and drizzle some on the serving platter. Sprinkle with half of the chopped thyme. Transfer the asparagus to the platter and drizzle with the remaining dressing. Sprinkle with the remaining thyme and serve.

Prepare to have your guests ohh and ahh!

I selected this for WHB for three reasons - it is a unique preparation of asparagus, the thyme, while it looks like it is an add-on is an integral part of the dish (having made it once without the thyme I can say - DON'T), and finally because of the citronette which is a wonderful take on a simple vinaigrette.

Thyme is one of those herbs that grows well here in Canada - in fact one of the few so-called perennial herbs that actually survives the winter. Thyme is a small, shrub-like perennial herb from the mint family that grows from 2"- 12" depending on the variety. The bluish purple to pink flowers are tubular, less than 1/4 " long and are arranged in clusters They like to be grown in a light, sandy (for drainage) soil in full sun to part shade. Thyme is difficult to start from seed with easiest propagation being by cuttings or root divisions in the spring, or by layering.

I discovered (from reading, not personaly experience thank you very much) that thyme has some interesting medicinal properties. For example, it is known for its antispasmodic, expectorant and flatulence-reducing action. Who knew?

Thyme is one of the best known and most widely-used culinary herbs. It is quite easy to grow and is commonly found as a decorative as well as a functional plant in many home gardens.

You will find thyme a welcome flavor in salads, soups, chowders, sauces, breads , vegetable and meat dishes, and even jellies and desserts.

Thyme is an essential ingredient in bouquet garni, as well as a prime ingredient in the expensive Benedictine liqueur.

Jerry - is that first paragraph review what you wrote? Seriously, because I remember looking at a Batali book (can't remember which one) in the past, and I thought it was anything but simple. Yet, we love to grill but not with a lot of fuss (especially in the summer) so if these are really "simple to use easy recipes" I'm going to put it on my b-day wish list or give it to Chris for the holidays. ;)

We left the snow behind and headed to California for a long weekend of fun. We shoppedm toured wineries, tasted olive oil, met up with good friends, and ate some wonderful food. I can't wait for slow bowl 2009.